UK frozen ATPL -> FAA Frozen ATPL

[FormationFlyer]

Hi folks,

Out of curiosity....I know of one or two operators in the UK who operate a/c on a US register - so I am curious about the conversion.

Given 525hrs TT, UK CAA frozen ATPL with MCC, whats required to convert to a US frozen ATPL?

Just thinking thats all..not intending to go stateside - just considering my options with various UK operators.

TIA,. .FF

[Grandad Flyer]

I think that if you are actually going to use the ATPL you will need to go through the full FAA system. You can only get an FAA CPL with your current hours as you need 1500 hours to get an ATP there, there is no such thing as a "frozen ATP" in America.

I think you will find that any FAA operators over here will require the FAA ATP as a bare minimum.

For the ATP there is a written test and also a flight test, which is a bit like a combined commercial GFT and IR test. They can basically ask you to do anything that might be required on a commercial flight.

There is also an oral exam where the examiner will question you about all sorts of scenarios and regulations.

The CPL flight test is very like the UK's CPL GFT. You would then also need to do the multi IR which although in some ways similar to the UK is much more practical. Like, you don't get told exactly where you are going and where you are going to hold and what approaches you are going to do in advance. Things happen as you go along. So you might be en route somewhere when you are asked (by your examiner pretending to be ATC) to hold, which might be at say the cross of two VOR radials, or whatever. You usually get a few minutes warning, but its not long. Navaids will fail etc. On mine we did a simulated engine failure which was meant to be followed by a full stop landing but it got really busy at the airport we were going to and we ended up having to fly a missed approach due to ATC not sequencing the aircraft very well due to the sheer numbers of aircraft there. Things like that happen and you deal with them.

There is also a written exam for the CPL and for the IR and oral exams too.

In addition, you have to know your aircraft backwards, that is, everything about its performance, and also all the technical info, such as number of electrical switches, what they do, how the fuel system works, etc.

Anyway, everyone told me it was the easy option . .so I am sure you'll have no problems!!! :-)

[TheDrop]

Is there really no way of doing it in Europe ?. .. .If you had 2000+ hours instead, and frozen ATPL, at what cost and with how much time spent could one expect to get an FAA ATPL ? Maybe just an FAA CPL ?

[mutt]

If you meet the requirements for the FAA ATP :. .. .Commercial Instrument Certificate. .(or foreign Commercial Instrument without restrictions accompanied by a certified English translation if not originally printed in English) . .Flight time per FARs: . .1500 hours total time . .500 hours of cross country time . .250 hours of PIC airplane time . .100 hours of night time . .75 hours of actual or simulated instrument time (50 hours of which must be actual flight time) . .Third class medical or better . .. .You can go to the US, do the written exams and flight test in about 3 days with prestudy for the exams. The cost is around $1100.. .. .Mutt

[Tinstaafl]

I find the apparent belief that a UK 'Frozen ATPL' is a licence in its own right quite fascinating.. .. .It's not. The licence held is a CPL, with passes in the ATPL subjects. . .. .The licence that is held is what is recognised by other ICAO countries. It doesn't matter what other exams at whatever level you have. The question is "What licence do you currently hold?".. .. .Unless you hold the experience requirements for an FAA ATPL you will only be able to do the exam & test for a CPL. If you DO hold the experience requirements for an FAA ATPL why not get a the UK ATPL? The requirements are damn near the same. Perhaps not quite so under JARs WRT the multi crew requirement.. .. .A significant difference, though, is the FAA requirement to undertake a flight test for each licence issue. Unlike the UK (& Oz, for that matter) where an ATPL can be issued as soon as the experience requirement is met, in the USA you must sit a flight test for the ATPL for the class of a/c you wish to be licenced for eg Single Engine Land, Multi Engine Land, S/E Sea, M/E Sea.. .. .The upshot is that the typical fATPL in the UK will only be eligible for an FAA CPL (a VFR licence) requiring an exam + flight test.. .. .To get IFR privileges will require another exam + flight test.. .. .To get ATPL will require yet another exam + flight test. A possible short cut once sufficient experience for the ATPL is held is to skip doing the IR exam + flight test and do the ATPL exam + test only. The FAA ATP automatically gives IFR privileges.. .. .The catch is that this leaves you without an IR for the time it takes to get from CPL to ATPL.

[dreamflyer]

Hello ff. . could u give the addresses of those operators.. . thanks. . df